Undergraduate Summer Research Awards

This page includes information for NSERC USRA, UBC Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Awards, UBC Work Learn International Research Awards (WLIURA), and other summer research awards for undergraduate students.

The Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) enable undergraduate students to spend the summer months working with an active research group at many participating universities across Canada. The duration of the award is 14 to 16 weeks on a full-time basis. Students acquire valuable research experience while interacting with professors, postdoctoral fellows and other graduate and undergraduate students.

The NEW deadline for all PHAS USRA awards is January 15th

*In order to be eligible for these awards, students are required to be residing in Canada for the duration of the award period (May to August).

Click here to find out how to make the most of your research experience!

Click here to see comments from undergraduate students who completed summer research projects at UBC in previous years.

*See below for this year's and previous years' USRA project descriptions in the "Undergrad USRA Projects" section.

*Summer 2025 COVID information: We do not have any updates at this time for Summer 2025. UBC does not currently have any active Covid policies/procedures. In past years, students were required to reside in Canada and needed to provide a Canadian/local address. It is assumed at this time that UBC USRAs will be held in-person in the Vancouver area (on or off-campus). We will update this webpage as we have more information re: project restrictions, travel restrictions and safety guidelines.

THE AWARDS

Providing Science students more opportunities to experience research is a goal of the Faculty of Science. We run three award competitions every year, over which the Dean’s Office has oversight. All three programs require a student to work at least 16 weeks and to be paid at least BC's minimum wage standard. All student wages are paid out of the project supervisor’s account with the award reimbursing the supervisor for a portion of the cost. The deadline for applications for NSERC/SURE/WLIURA Summer 2025 is on January 15th, 2025. If you have not heard back from our USRA Committee and Undergraduate Coordinator by March 31st 2025, you are not a recipient of a research position within PHAS. By this time, our Awards decisions and allocations have been made.

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) – this award is restricted to students who are Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents. They may be registered at UBC or another university. The subsidy is $6,000 for Summer 2024. The rest of the costs must come from an eligible NSERC grant. All information on eligibility and award conditions can be found on the following websites: NSERC USRA (for students) & NSERC USRA (for faculty & staff). Application deadline: January 15th, 2025.
Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Awards - open to UBC Vancouver BSc undergraduates of any nationality (including International students). The subsidy is $3,000 this year for Summer 2024. The rest of the costs can come from any grant source that authorizes such an expenditure. Application deadline: January 15th, 2025.
Work Learn International Undergraduate Research (WLIURA) Awards - only for UBC Vancouver BSc students who are not Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents. The subsidy is $6,000 this year for Summer 2025. The rest of the costs can come from any grant source that authorizes such an expenditure. Students are appointed for a minimum of 16 weeks between early May and the end of August. We run this competition with NSERC/SURE to match students with faculty research opportunities. Application deadline: January 15th, 2025. *Please note that Work Learn job postings are managed centrally by UBC Centre for Student Involvement and Careers. Students who have not secured an award with a researcher will be able to apply for Work/Learn jobs as they will be posted at UBC CareersOnline in March, 2025 (exact dates: TBD).

Additional Research Opportunities

Erich Vogt First Year Summer Research Experience (FYSRE) Award: open to any UBC first year Science or Engineering students intending to pursue a degree in PHAS or ENPH. FYSRE is a program offering summer research experiences to budding academic stars after their First Year Physics courses. Last year we successfully placed a FYSRE student with outstanding published results: see here for more information: https://phas.ubc.ca/fysre-student-tiffany-matthe-shares-unique-summer-research-experience. See more information about the FYSRE program and how to apply here: http://www.phas.ubc.ca/erich-vogt-first-year-summer-research-experience-fysre

Aboriginal USRA Positions: When Aboriginal students are given USRA positions, this does not count against the allotted number given to each department. We strongly encourage Aboriginal students to apply for this opportunity (please indicate your Aboriginal status in your application submitted to the Department).

*Exchange Opportunity: Imperial College London (ICL) Summer Research Exchange Opportunity for UBC-V (Vancouver Campus) students only. *2025 Summer Update: UBC is not currently promoting the ICL Research Exchange at this time. Any ICL Summer 2025 opportunities that do become available will be updated on this website.

Over the last few summers, with support from Faculty of Science, we successfully participated in an undergraduate summer research exchange with Imperial College London. Two selected students spend half the summer here at UBC and half in London working on projects jointly supervised by UBC and ICL faculty (these could be joint or separate individual projects).

The students in this exchange program apply to Go Global for the Go Global Research Abroad Award (about $1500 after deducting Go Global application fees) to cover travel costs. However living costs abroad will be covered by the student (some additional subsidies from the Faculty of Science to support a portion of living costs may be possible but may not be guaranteed every year). Students, if you are interested in this exchange program and are willing to travel during the summer (July-August), please submit your USRA application and indicate your interest in exchange as additional information in your Personal Statement (the Personal Statement is required as part of the USRA/SURE application procedures described below), and express which of the exchange projects listed below you would be most interested in working on.

Click here to see some possible projects hosted at ICL for UBC-V (Vancouver Campus) students going to exchange. *Note: exchange students spend two months (May-June) at UBC on a possibly related project before going to ICL for exchange (potential dates July - Aug. Please note not all projects available for summer hosted at UBC (posted below) are possible for exchange as many projects require students to work full 16 weeks term at UBC.

WRITING YOUR APPLICATION LETTERS

Before submitting your formal USRA application (see Departmental Application Procedures below), we encourage you to write a brief letter to each of the faculty members with whom you might like to work, explaining which aspects of their research interest you and what you believe you have to offer their projects (this is excellent practice for future job searches!).

Click here to see a partial list of available Summer 2024 USRA projects hosted at UBC.

Click here to see the list of available Summer USRA projects from previous years that were hosted by UBC PHAS.

If people with whom you are especially interested in working with do not have any jobs posted, feel free to contact them (email is usually best) to find out if they have possible summer research projects.

Whether or not you secure a faculty member willing to supervise a summer work project, please submit your application with your three choices, and note in your application if you have a faculty member already interested in working with you. Securing a faculty member does not guarantee an award! The Awards Committee will assess all applications together, and if there is an award recommended to a student who has a supervisor already in place, we will then contact that supervisor to confirm.

General information on the Physics and Astronomy research being carried out at UBC can be found on the departmental Website: http://www.phas.ubc.ca/research-areas.

PREPARING ALL APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

A. Domestic Students: Departmental Application Procedures - USRA

The following procedures only apply to UBC Students with Domestic status (Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents) who are applying for NSERC USRA awards at UBC. *Note: NSERC awards are available at all all major Canadian Universities, however deadlines may vary. Please check application deadline dates carefully for each institution.

Eligibility: To apply you should be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident completing the 2^nd or higher year of an undergraduate Physics/Astronomy/Engineering Physics program. (*Note: 1st year students are eligible for NSERC if they have completed two terms of registered courses prior to the summer term where they would receive an award). You should have obtained a cumulative average of at least B+ over the previous years of university study.

1. Submit application online to NSERC by filling out NSERC Form 202 Part I online at NSERC website, including uploading copies of your official transcripts (and the legend on the back). To access the online application, please see here http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/UG-PC/USRA-BRPC_eng.asp.

2. Submit an e-copy or .pdf of Form 202 Part I to UBC Physics and Astronomy Department by 11.59pm PST on January 15th, 2025.

*NSERC Form 202 Part II - this form is for the faculty supervisor to fill out, once we have placed a student with that supervisor. The deadline for NSERC Form 202 Part II will be sometime in March, 2025.

Besides this form, please send the following documents via email to ugcoord@phas.ubc.ca:

Official transcripts (we will accept a .pdf scanned copy of your official transcripts, or e-copy of your official transcripts. Official transcripts include the registrar's signature on the copy).
Curriculum vitae (CV)
Personal statement indicating your research interests and the names of three UBC faculty members you would be most interested in working with during the summer (please indicate clearly your first, second, and third choice). Consider your personal statement to be like a cover letter: you want to include your interests, experience and what you would bring to a research project, as well as some information about your future career goals.
At least one (two would be highly recommended) letter of reference from a faculty member of your home institution, or supervisor in a previous job (or volunteer activity). Please request this letter be sent directly to us via email from your referee(s).

B. International Students: Departmental Application Procedures - SURE/SBQMI Awards & Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards for International Students (WLIURA)

The following procedures only apply to UBC Students with International status (with a current study permit and work visa) who can only apply for one of the SURE Awards, SBQMI Awards or WLIURA International Undergraduate Research Awards. Domestic students (including Permanent Residents) are required to submit a formal USRA application as described above.

Eligibility - SURE: To apply you should be a UBC Vancouver BSc undergraduate of any nationality completing the 2^nd or higher year of an undergraduate Physics/Astronomy program. You should have obtained a cumulative average of at least B+ over the previous years of university study.

Eligibility - International Undergraduate Research Awards - WLIURA: To apply you should be a UBC Vancouver BSc undergraduate on a study permit (ie. "international") and holding a current work visa, completing the 2^nd or higher year of an undergraduate Physics/Astronomy program. You should have obtained a cumulative average of at least B+ over the previous years of university study.

1. Download a copy of NSERC Form 202 Part I here. Fill out the relevant information only and leave other fields that only apply to USRA applicants blank.

2. Submit a copy of your Form 202 Part I to UBC Physics and Astronomy Department via email at ugcoord@phas.ubc.ca by 11.59pm PST by January 15th, 2025. Besides this form, your online application should also include:

Official transcripts (we will accept a .pdf scanned copy of your official transcripts, or e-copy of your official transcripts. Official transcripts include the registrar's signature on the copy).
Curriculum vitae (CV)
Personal statement indicating your research interests and the names of three UBC faculty members you would be most interested in working with during the summer (please indicate clearly your first, second, and third choice). Consider your personal statement to be like a cover letter: you want to include your interests, experience and what you would bring to a research project, as well as some information about your future career goals.
At least one (two would be highly recommended) letter of reference from a faculty member of your home institution or supervisor in a previous job (or volunteer activity). Please request this letter be sent directly to us via email from your referee(s).

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

All applications can be sent via email (and if you wish to submit paper copies as well, you can deliver in-person) to:

PHAS Undergraduate Office c/o Shawn Salgadoe at email: ugcoord@phas.ubc.ca
UBC, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Rm. 329A, 6224 Agricultural Road
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6T 1Z1

Reference letters will be accepted via email at (ugcoord@phas.ubc.ca), directly emailed from referees, with the applicant's full name indicated in the email subject line (ie. USRA Reference Letter for John Smith).

Dates: The UBC Faculty of Science notifies us of our USRA/Dean of Science Undergraduate Research Award allotment by February. We will try to have all decisions made and positions offered as soon as possible after we know how many we have to offer. Because this part of the process must be completed expeditiously, please make sure we have your correct email address!

Selection criteria: Marks, recommendations and previous acknowledgements of distinction are important, of course; so are the aesthetics of presentation and content of the CV and personal statement. However, attention is also paid to the mutual enthusiasm of the student and the prospective supervisor for working together. Supervisors will be asked to "rank" students for this purpose. Because one of the primary benefits of USRA subsidies is to introduce new students to supervisors at a reduced financial risk, we rarely offer an award to the same student twice with the same supervisor in this Department. It is also rare to offer two USRA subsidies to the same supervisor at any given time.

NSERC no longer covers travel expenses for the two-way trip to and from your home university.

*Note to UBC students: USRAs are competitive! We typically place 25% of applicants. To increase your chances you may wish to apply to more than one award (i.e., NSERC awards and WorkLearn positions, for example - see section "Other Summer Research Opportunities", below, to find more award options). Re: NSERC - as this award is offered across Canada, we strongly recommend students apply for this award at other universities to give yourself more choices, and have the opportunity to conduct research outside of UBC/build up your contacts in other research communities.

Undergrad USRA Projects

Click here to see a list of available Summer 2024 USRA projects that will be hosted by UBC PHAS on campus.